The present invention relates to polar solvent-free antiperspirant compositions which comprise a particulate cellulose ether polymer (preferably a non-ionic cellulose ether polymer); an antiperspirant active; and an anhydrous antiperspirant carrier. These polar solvent-free antiperspirant compositions produce very little burning and stinging when applied to human skin immediately after shaving. The present invention also relates to methods for treating or preventing perspiration and malodor associated with human underarm perspiration.
The use of polymeric materials as gelling agents and/or thickening agents in aqueous antiperspirant compositions is known. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,988, to Teng et al, issued May 17, 1983 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) discloses aqueous alcoholic gelled antiperspirant compositions containing polymeric carbohydrate derivatives (e.g., hydroxypropyl cellulose acetate) as the gelling agent. This patent further discloses the optional inclusions of thickeners such as methyl cellulose or hydroxyethylcellulose. Other patents disclosing the use of polymers (such as cellulose polymers) in aqueous antiperspirant compositions are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,223, to Siegal, issued Jan. 23, 1962; U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,708, to Henkin et al, issued Aug. 3, 1965; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,004, to Orren, issued Jan. 20, 1976; the disclosures of all these patents being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyalkylcelluloses have also been disclosed as optional components in gel phases containing monohydric alcohols (e.g., ethanol) to help retard alcohol evaporation and to act as an anti-syneresis agent. This use is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,948, to Shelton, issued Oct. 17, 1978 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,879, to Shelton, issued May 13, 1980 (the disclosures of both these patents being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety) which patents teach multi-phase antiperspirant sticks having a waxy antiperspirant-containing phase and a gel phase. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,679 to Davy, issued Nov. 21, 1978, teaches the use of powdered antiperspirant active salts in solid stick solutions containing certain volatile silicones and long chain alcohols. This patent generally states that optionally the powdered active, which stabilizes the solid solution, may be replaced by any powdered material including talc, sodium bicarbonate, starch, fumed silica and clays.
Notwithstanding this and much more work already performed to develop antiperspirant compositions, the use of antiperspirant compositions immediately after shaving still produces some degree of subjective irritation commonly referred to as "stinging" or "burning". It is an object of the present invention to provide cosmetically-acceptable and efficacious antiperspirant compositions with reduced stinging/burning affects when applied immediately after shaving. It is a further object to provide antiperspirant compositions which are easy to manufacture. Another object of the present invention is to provide methods for treating or preventing perspiration and underarm odor associated with human perspiration.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.
All percentages and ratios used herein are by weight unless otherwise specified.